Industrial action 2011

Following our ballot for industrial action in June 2011 over the University’s failure to mitigate against proposed redundancies, the branch has received the following messages of support and solidarity:

17 June 2011

Middlesex University UNISON Branch send a message of support for your strike against job cuts. Keep up the struggle. It is important that we win on this issue.

We are facing around 200 threatened job cuts at Middlesex and are in dispute with the University. We plan to ballot for industrial action shortly.

Regards,

Jenny Compton-Bishop
Branch Secretary
Middlesex University UNISON

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17 June 2011

I am writing to offer the full support of our Branch for your action on 22 June.

The attack on London Met is an integral part of a wider attack on education for working class people that will particularly impact on areas like Tower Hamlets.

Your action takes place at a time when the broader resistance to the Tory led coalition’s retrograde policies is growing, especially over the threat to public sector pensions.

We welcomed your support when we took action on 30 March alongside the NUT and would want to offer our solidarity now.

Unfortunately I cannot join you on Wednesday as I will be at UNISON Conference but I will be with you in spirit.

Good luck with your action.

Please let us know of any further assistance we can offer.

Fraternally,

John McLoughlin
Branch Secretary
Tower Hamlets UNISON

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19 June 2011

Dear London Met UNISON and UCU,

We condemn Management’s decision to push through mass course closures and the consequent job losses at London Metropolitan University. Our branch supports the decision to take industrial action and will be looking to send members down to picket lines in a show of practical solidarity. We will also be support any further actions. Your struggle is our struggle.

In solidarity,

Vikhas Chechi
Branch Secretary
Queen Mary UL UNISON

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20 June 2011

Dear Women’s Library at London Met,

The History of Feminism Network would like to send you our support for the industrial action planned for Wednesday. We have sent the below statement to our email list and website and wanted to let you know that there are many people who have used your collections who are appalled by the proposed cuts at London Met and who are fully behind you.

Best wishes,

History of Feminism Network

Support the Women’s Library Strike!

The Women’s Library is home to world-renowned collections on women’s struggles throughout history and has hosted excellent exhibitions on women workers and female led-strikes. This Wednesday 22nd June 2011 Women’s Library staff will themselves take planned action to ensure that London Met University continues to be a thriving centre for the study of gender and feminism.

London Met Unison and UCU have voted for a one day strike on 22nd June unless the management resolve their dispute over compulsory redundancies (200 announced so far) and the closure of 70% of courses.

These cuts are of concern to all of us working in the fields of feminism and gender studies, across UK higher education institutions. Judging the value of academic disciplines according to narrow definitions of economic viability will particularly discriminate against already marginal subjects. The History BA is among those London Met courses set to close, despite it having long been such an important focus for the study of women’s history and with the Women’s Library hosting this years Women’s History Network Annual Conference.

This is why we want to express our strong support for the Women’s Library staff and everyone at London Met taking industrial action next week.

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20 June 2011

Your fight at London Met to save jobs and services is an inspiration. London Met ought to be celebrated and funded accordingly because your institution genuinely widens access to higher education for the whole community.

The best of luck with your campaign.

In solidarity,

Andrew Baisley
Branch Secretary
Camden NUT

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21 June 2011

Dear London Met UNISON Branch,

Please convey our enthusiastic solidarity to your Branch at London Met. The decision to axe around 70% of the courses offered is an insult to the students you serve and the people who work there. It shows what the ConDems really think of educating working-class people. In taking strike action, you are not only fighting for your members’ jobs but also defending access to higher education for students from working-class backgrounds.

We warmly salute you and your action, and look forward to 30th June when so many of us will be taking action together.

Together, we can fight the cuts!

In solidarity,

Pura Ariza
Branch Secretary
Manchester Metropolitan University UCU

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22 June 2011

As someone who worked in the old Polytechnic of North London and have given a couple of lectures there in the past few years, I am appalled by the suggested reductions in staff. What has delighted me about the Metropolitan on my visits had been the numbers of Black students I saw – I silently clapped. Universities which attract Black students and run courses which they find relevant and of interest should be expanded, not contracted.

Goldsmiths UCU once again congratulates staff and students at London Metropolitan University for their inspiring campaign to stop the assault on jobs and courses at the university. Management’s plan to cut 70 percent of courses and to target humanities provision in particular is shameful and a total capitulation to the distorted market logic being imposed by the government in attempting to privatise the university system.

What your action shows is that staff and students can campaign together to refuse this kind of logic, to stop redundancies and to protect academic provision. So we send you our solidarity and best wishes in supporting access to education for all, in defending jobs and in keeping hold of a vision of education that is not about making profits but serving the public.

Kirsten Forkert
Branch Administrator
Goldsmiths UL UCU

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Dear UCU and UNISON members,

Our Branch is appalled at the cuts proposed at London Met. We all send you solidarity greetings from both our hearts and minds.